Rear Derailleur Question
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Tucson
Posts: 113
Bikes: 01 Specialized Rockhopper A1 and 07 Felt Z80 05 Canondale Prophet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Rear Derailleur Question
OK,
I'm looking at a couple of derailleurs. One is a XTR, M952 and the other is a XT, a M760 series.
Which is better? My first guess would be the XTR, but the XT is the next generation..
That's assuming that all other things are equal..
This will be going on my Rockhopper with a LX drivetrain, STI shifters.. I just want nice crisp shifts without a bunch of fuss and the LX has been nice, it's just getting long in the tooth and I like to upgrade things.
Thoughts and opinions welcome..
Thanks,
LB
I'm looking at a couple of derailleurs. One is a XTR, M952 and the other is a XT, a M760 series.
Which is better? My first guess would be the XTR, but the XT is the next generation..
That's assuming that all other things are equal..
This will be going on my Rockhopper with a LX drivetrain, STI shifters.. I just want nice crisp shifts without a bunch of fuss and the LX has been nice, it's just getting long in the tooth and I like to upgrade things.
Thoughts and opinions welcome..
Thanks,
LB
Last edited by lunchbox1972; 02-09-10 at 07:25 PM. Reason: grammer
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Olathe Kansas
Posts: 95
Bikes: GT Hardtail
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
https://cgi.ebay.com/SHIMANO-DEORE-XT...item45f0d5c524
This is a awesome choice !!!
And rapid rise to boot .
This is a awesome choice !!!
And rapid rise to boot .
Last edited by Chris s; 02-09-10 at 08:09 PM.
#3
"STAT"
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: WVU-Morgantown
Posts: 1,111
Bikes: Trek 3900. 2007 Kona Dawg
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
https://cgi.ebay.com/SHIMANO-DEORE-XT...item45f0d5c524
This is a awesome choice !!!
And rapid rise to boot .
This is a awesome choice !!!
And rapid rise to boot .
Newb moment:
What does Rapid rise entail?
#4
Moar cowbell
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: The 509
Posts: 12,481
Bikes: Bike list is not a resume. Nobody cares.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ra-e.html
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/shimano.html#rapidrise
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_l.html#lownormal
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/shimano.html#rapidrise
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_l.html#lownormal
__________________
RST Suspension | Canfield Bikes | 7iDP Protection | Maxxis | Renthal | Hayes | VonZipper Optics | GoPro
Originally Posted by Mark Twain
"Don't argue with stupid people; they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience."
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Olathe Kansas
Posts: 95
Bikes: GT Hardtail
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#12
Frozen in carbonite
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 805
Bikes: '85 Full Cycle Cycle.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,458
Bikes: Something Canadian, something Italian, something American, and something German
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 64 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 14 Times
in
8 Posts
That's a stupid thing to say. Why not get the better one even if everything else isn't as good?
#15
Time for a change.
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England
Posts: 19,913
Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
I always use XT and I used to change the XT every year due to wear on the bikes annual stripdown. But one year I got an XTR. on a special deal. Didn't notice any difference on gear changes but did the following year and the following year. The XTR lasted for 3 years before I had to change it.
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
#17
Single-serving poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 5,098
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I was just trying to say that using an XTR RD on a lower end cassette and chain/shifter doesn't make sense to me, unless of course you are in the progress of updating everything to the very best including the shifters. Why don't we slap some Yumeya gear on some walmart rides while we're at it!
XT is pretty good. LX is good enough. I doubt he can go wrong with XTR either.
#18
Moar cowbell
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: The 509
Posts: 12,481
Bikes: Bike list is not a resume. Nobody cares.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
'Standard' is high-normal - - in that derailleur spring-tension drops the chain down the stair-step of gears to the highest (smallest) cog. Cable-tension pulls it back up the cogs to lower gears.
Rapid-Rise is low-normal - - spring-tension works the chain up the cogs toward the lowest (largest) cog. Cable tension drops the chain back down the cogs to higher gears.
Rapid-Rise is low-normal - - spring-tension works the chain up the cogs toward the lowest (largest) cog. Cable tension drops the chain back down the cogs to higher gears.
__________________
RST Suspension | Canfield Bikes | 7iDP Protection | Maxxis | Renthal | Hayes | VonZipper Optics | GoPro
Originally Posted by Mark Twain
"Don't argue with stupid people; they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience."
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,458
Bikes: Something Canadian, something Italian, something American, and something German
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 64 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 14 Times
in
8 Posts
Do you need reversed shifters then? Since if you release the cable it would go up, so on a normal shifter when the window shoes the small cog (9) you'd be in the big cog (1), and then when you are actually in the small cog it would say 1 and so on.
And Elektrik - you have a point, no harm intended by my previous comment
And Elektrik - you have a point, no harm intended by my previous comment

#20
Moar cowbell
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: The 509
Posts: 12,481
Bikes: Bike list is not a resume. Nobody cares.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
One of the earlier Sheldon Brown links I posted explains that. Yes, your shifter indicator will be opposite what's happening . . . but who looks at the indicator anyway?
__________________
RST Suspension | Canfield Bikes | 7iDP Protection | Maxxis | Renthal | Hayes | VonZipper Optics | GoPro
Originally Posted by Mark Twain
"Don't argue with stupid people; they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience."
#21
"STAT"
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: WVU-Morgantown
Posts: 1,111
Bikes: Trek 3900. 2007 Kona Dawg
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
^I do sometimes lol.
so I know where-abouts I am on my drivetrain, and if so I know how many gears I have left on either side.
so I know where-abouts I am on my drivetrain, and if so I know how many gears I have left on either side.
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Tucson
Posts: 113
Bikes: 01 Specialized Rockhopper A1 and 07 Felt Z80 05 Canondale Prophet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I believe the STI shifters are designed more for rapid rise.. The gear indicator is just a orange pointer with a L at one end and a H at the other.. I don't look at the indicators much.. I know if I'm in the right gear by how it feels.. If I'm in the lowest, then I just push though it to the top of the hill.. 
As for XTR on an LX drivetrain, does it really matter? You might look at it and have something to think, but as long as the person riding the bike likes it, that's what's important. XTR is overkill for me and I wouldn't even look at it, if a good deal wasn't looking me in the face.. I upgraded the bike from a Deore drivetrain with an LX rear derailleur, so a LX drivetrain with a XT rear would be the same..
I might have to pull the trigger on a rapid rise and give it a try.. It sounds like it would work for me..
Thanks for all the info!

As for XTR on an LX drivetrain, does it really matter? You might look at it and have something to think, but as long as the person riding the bike likes it, that's what's important. XTR is overkill for me and I wouldn't even look at it, if a good deal wasn't looking me in the face.. I upgraded the bike from a Deore drivetrain with an LX rear derailleur, so a LX drivetrain with a XT rear would be the same..
I might have to pull the trigger on a rapid rise and give it a try.. It sounds like it would work for me..
Thanks for all the info!
#23
PBR Racing
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Wifes $hit List
Posts: 1,026
Bikes: Santa Cruz and Cannondale
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
All the XT products I've used where much easier to setup compared to XTR I think. It took me quite some time to get my XTR M960 front and rear derailleurs setup but once I mastered it, nothing compares to it in the shimano line.
As for rapid rise it takes some time to get used to but I like it over standard shifting.
As for rapid rise it takes some time to get used to but I like it over standard shifting.
#24
.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: The Summit of Lee
Posts: 10,939
Bikes: Hecklah
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
XT is the King...XTR is the pansy version for wieners...and people more "well-off" than I who can actually afford it

#25
PBR Racing
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Wifes $hit List
Posts: 1,026
Bikes: Santa Cruz and Cannondale
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts